More on Sutter stepping down

Sutter has said that his decision on whether he would return to New Jersey next season would be based solely on family and business commitments in Red Deer.

There has been some speculation that his brother Darryl, the general manager of the Calgary Flames, has been waiting to make a decision on his team’s head coaching opening to see if Brent would be available.

Credit to Rich Chere who had this story in the Star-Ledger this morning. Anyhow, with Sutter set to announce his resignation from the Devils, the rumors of him heading to Calgary will probably begin in full force. However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. I would think it is extremely unlikely that Lou Lamoriello would let Sutter walk and pick up with another franchise (albeit a non-Eastern Conference franchise) without compensation. So, unless there is some sort of package Lamoriello and Brent’s Brother Darryl have agreed upon, I would think that Darryl Sutter is probbaly the most likely head coach of Calgary next season.

That said, Brent Sutter is, in my mind, one of the top five coaches in the NHL and Sutter may believe that he is worth the compensation being asked for. Obviously I’d have to see that compensation to determine whether I’d believe it to be reasonable or not. Either way, things should start to work themselves out before the Draft in Montreal.